Bottom brace for pile hammer leads



O 1967 J. J. KUPKA 3,344,867

BOTTOM BRACE FOR FILE HAMMER LEADS v Filed April 20, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

' J. J. KUPKA BOTTOM BRACE FOR FILE HAMMER LEADS Oct. 3, 1967 Filed April 20, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTOR/VE Y c 1967 J. .1. KUPKA 3,344,867

BOTTOM BRACE FOR PILE HAMMER LEADS Filed April 2(3, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JOHN J. KUPKA A Trek/v5 v 1957 Y J. J. KUPKA 3,344,867

BOTTOM BRACE FOR PILE HAMMER LEADS Filed April 20, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. L/OH/V a. KUP/(A A TIDE/YE Y Oct. 3, 1967 .J. J. KUPKA 3,344,867

BOTTOM BRACE FOR FILE HAMMER LEADS Filed April 20, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. JOHN J. KUP/(A A TTORNE Y United States Patent 3,344,867 BOTTOM BRACE FOR PH.E HAMMER LEADS John J. Kupka, Gladstone, N.J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to KHG Associates, Merrick, N.Y., a partnership Filed Apr. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 449,548 Claims. (Cl. 17344) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Botton brace made up of a rigid frame having spaced parallel side struts, consisting of guide tubes and tubular extensions slideable therein, said frame pivotally supported at the inner end and the tubular extensions having means for connecting them with 3. leads frame, a tubular power strut mounted in the frame between and parallel with the side struts and comprising an inner, extension tube slideably operating within an outer guide tube, a yoke pivotally connected with the outer end of said inner extension tube and having self-adjusting connections with the outer ends of the tubular extensions of the side struts, the inner, extension tube of the power strut having a nut forming element on the inner end of the same, a lead screw journaled in the inner end of the outer guide tube of the power strut in cooperative engagement with said nut forming element, with a drive motor at the inner end of the frame and self-adjusting drive connections from said motor to said lead screw.

The invention herein disclosed relates to bottom brace or A-frame structures for holding the leads for pile hammers.

The general objects of the invention are to provide a bottom brace of simple rugged construction which can be operated to set the hammer leads at the vertical or at selected angles of inclination and which will hold at the desired point of adjustment but will be immediately 0perative to quickly shift and hold at any other desired or required adjustment.

Further general objects of the invention are to provide a power actuated bottom brace which can be produced at reasonable cost and which will be compact in design and construction so as not to add objectionable bulk to the hammer equipment.

Special objects of the invention are to provide practical and efficient power drive mechanism for effecting leads adjusting operation and to insure against any jamming or stoppage of such mechanism while in use.

Other desirable objects attained by the invention and the novel feaaures of construction through which such purposes are accomplished are set forth and will appear in the course of the following specification.

The drawings accompanying .and forming part of this specification illustrate a present commercial embodiment, of the invention, but structure may be modified and changed as regards the immediate illustration; all Within the true intent and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined and claimed.

FIG. 1 in the drawings is a diagrammatic side elevation of the invention as applied to and in use with an ordinary pile driver crane.

FIG. 2 is a broken plan view of the bottom brace detached from the crane anl leads frame, as appearing at arrow 2, in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the same.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged end view of the drive gearing from the motor to the lead screw on substantially the plane of line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a broken sectional view of the inner end portion of the lead screw and drive gearing on substantially the plane of line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

ice

FIG. 6 is a similar view of the outer end portion of the lead screw and the self-adjusting connections with the extensible side struts.

FIG. 7 is a broken end view of the connection between the screw actuated power tube and the cross beam which connects with the side struts, this view taken on substantially the plane of line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a broken detail, partly in section, on substantially the plane of line 8-8 of FIG. 6 showing the self-compensating connection between the cross beam and one of the side struts.

FIG. 9 is a front end elevation partly in section, of the brace, on substantially the plane of line 9-9 of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are views of the pivotal connections for the opposite ends of the bottom brace, on substantially the planes of lines 10-10 and 1111 of FIG. 2.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises a form of extensible strut pivotally supported at the inner end and provided with means for connecting it with a leads frame at the outer end, with a power actuated lead screw operating a travelling nut connected with the extensible portion of the strut.

In the example illustrated, the strut is made up of spaced tubular beams 7 and 8 held in parallelism by cross bracing 9 and having tubular extensions 10, 11, operating telescopically therein.

The outer tubular members 7 and 8 are connected at their inner ends by a transverse member 12, carrying the pivot mountings 13, which are connected with the cab or base of the crane and the inner tubular members are connected at their outer ends by a yoke 14.

The tubular extension members 10, 11 carry the pivot fittings 15 for connection with the leads frame 16.

The power for effecting extension and retraction of the positioning strut is provided in the illustration by a reversible air motor 17 mounted at the inner end of the frame and arranged to drive a lead screw 18, FIG. 5, carrying a travelling nut 19 connected with the yoke.

The connection with the yoke is made by a tubular member 20, FIGS. 2, 5, and 6, telescopically operable within a fixed tubular guide 21 and connected at its inner end with the nut.

Connection of the inner, extension member 20 with the nut element is effected in the illustration by providing a screw socket 22, in one end of the nut block to receive the correspondingly screw threaded end of the extension tube and by locking the parts in this connected relation by a weld or equivalent fastening indicated at 23, FIG. 5.

The extensible power strut made up of the fixed guide 21 and sliding inner tube 20 is supported at the inner end of the frame, between and parallel with the extensible'positioning side struts, where it is protected on both sides and does not add to the overall bulk of the frame.

The nut block is slidably guided in the outer tubular member and is shown in FIG. 5 as carrying packing rings 24 to assure smooth sliding action of the same.

The outer end of the nut carrying tube 29 is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 as connected with the yoke 14- by a pivot pin 2-5 extending through a tongue 26 projecting from the end of this tube, this construction preventing binding or locking of these parts, under the twisting and hammering strains to which the equipment is subjected.

To similar effect, the leads screw is protected against misalignment or strain of parts by having a spherical bearing element 28, FIG. 5, at its inner end journalled 'in a corresponding bearing 29 supported within the hub fixed in the inner end of the outer stationary tubular member 21.

To allow the leads screw bearing a certain amount of radial self-positioning, the spherical bearing ring 29 is shown as seated in a rubber or other elastic cushioning ring 33.

slide in a radially extending guide slot 38 provided in the radially extending lever 39, keyed at 40 on the extreme inner end of the screw.

The leads screw is shown as made up of tubing with a length of solid shafting 41 fixed by welding 42 in the inner end of the same, this solid piece of shafting being utilized for mounting of the universal bearing and drive connection thereon.

In the illustration, these parts are assembled by engaging the bearing ring 28 and lever 39 over the reduced end portion 43 of the solid shaft where they are helcl against the shoulder 44 on the shaft by a washer ,plate 45 and end bolt 46.

The air motor 17 is shown as mounted on one side of a base plate 47 which has at the opposite side a pro- 'jecting housing or shell 48, providing an enclosure for the drive gearing and having projecting lugs 49 by which the motor and companion parts are mounted on the transverse cross member 12 at the inner end of the frame.

The base plate 47 carrying the power drive and operating connections, serves to combine the mechanism as a single unit readily applicable to and separable from the strut frame.

This base structure forms a solid mounting for the inner end and the outer or front end of the power strut is braced and supported by a fitting 50 in a cross piece 51, FIGS. 2, 3 and 9, at the outer end of the frame.

The yoke 14 connecting the sliding members 10, 11, through its connection at 25, 26 with the power slide 20, FIGS. 2, 6 and 9, serves to hold the latter against rotation and hence holds the connected nut against rotation in respect to the feed screw.

The in and out travel of the nut block and connected tube 20 is kept free and smooth by the sliding engagement of the nut block in the surrounding stationary tube 21.

The lead screw and engaged parts are fully enclosed and protected at all times and can be kept fully lubricated for smooth, free operation.

Such operation is assured by providing one or more surrounding, supporting bearing rings, such as shown at 52, FIG. 6, along the length of the screw.

This same view shows how the extension tube 20, may be sealed at the outer end where it issues from the supporting tubing 21, ,by packing 53, adjusted by a gland nut 54, in the collar 55 on the end of the supporting tube.

The yoke 14, through which the central power strut is connected with the side, extension struts, is shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 9 as made up of a pair of parallel bars 56, secured in fixed spaced relation by bolts 57 and spacing sleeves 58, the tongue 26 extending from the power tube being disposed between these bars and carrying short sleeves 59 rotatably and slidably engaged in the bars and through which the wrist pin 25 extends, secured by snap rings 60 at the opposite ends of the sleeves.

ends of the bars 56 embracing the extension tubes 10,

11 and slotted at their ends at 64 to receive sliding blocks 65, which receive the pivot pins 66 projecting from the collars 76, FIGS. 2, 6, 8 and 9, fixed on the extension tubes.

A certain amount of length adjustment is provided in the illustration by mounting the pivot fittings 15 at the outer ends of the struts on a cross bar 67, FIG. 2, carried by tubular projections 68 at the back to fit into the outer ends of the extension tubes 10 and 11 and which are secured in adjusted relation by through pinsv 69.

The pivot fittings 15 are shown in FIGS. 2 and ll as made up of spaced parallel plates 70, braced by gussets 71 and in similar fashion the pivot members 13 for the inner end of the structure are shown in these same figures as made up of spaced plates or bars 72, braced by gussets 73.

To prevent over-drive and to protect the mechanism generally, a fail-safe limit switch is indicated at 74, FIG. 2, adapted to be operated by the movable strut member 20 at the planned limit of outward travel of such member.

To similar effect, the limit switch 77 may be provided to stop the inward movement of the extensible strut, this and the other fail-safe switch serving to shut off the ,air supply to the motor.

While the gear drive, with compensation for misalignment, has been illustrated as a preferred form, it will be understood that other forms of power drive may be substituted, such as silent chain or V-belt drives, these automatically compensating for possible misalignment to avoid binding or other possible faults.

These or other forms of belt drives may be substituted where space conditions permit and where the load to be controlled renders such substitution practical.

In some instances a solid form of lead screw may be employed in place of the tubular form illustrated ,and in both instances the lead screw would preferably be of the self-locking thread form.

What is claimed is:

1. Bottom brace for leads frames, comprising the combination of parallel, longitudinally extensible positioning struts pivotally supported at their inner ends and provided with means for connecting them with a leads frame at their outer ends, 7 t

a yoke connecting the outer ends of said positioning struts,

a longitudinally extensible power strut between and parallel with said positioning struts, pivotally supported at its inner end and pivotally connected with said yoke at its outer end,

a lead screw journalled in said power strut,

a travelling nut on said lead screw connected to effect extension and retraction of said power strut in accordance with direction of rotation of said screw,

a motor connected to drive said lead screw in opposite directions, said power strut consisting of telescopically arranged outer and inner tubes and said travelling nut being fixed on the inner end of the inner tube and the lead screw journalled on a spherical bearing in the inner end of the outer tube.

2. Bottom brace for leads frames, comprising the combination of paralleL longitudinally extensible positioning struts pivota-lly supported at their inner ends and provided with means for connecting them with a leads frame at their outer ends,

a yoke connecting the outer ends of said positioning struts,

a longitudinally extensible power strut between and parallel with said positioning struts, pivotally supported at its inner end and pivotally connected with said yoke at its outer end,

a lead screw journalled in said power strut,

a travelling nut on said lead screw connected to efiect extension and retraction of said power strut in accordance with direction of rotation of said screw,

a motor connected to drive said lead screw in opposite directions,

an annular gear surrounding the inner end of said lead screw and driven by said motor,

a drive pin projecting from said gear,

a spherical member on said drive pin,

a slide in which said spherical member is journalled,

and

a lever on the inner end of the lead screw having a radially extending slot in which said slide is retained.

3. Bottom brace for leads frames, comprising the combination of parallel, longitudinally extensible positioning struts pivotally supported at their inner ends and provided with means for connecting them with a leads frame at their outer ends,

a yoke connecting the outer ends of said positioning struts,

a longitudinally extensible power strut between and parallel with said positioning struts, pivotally supported at its inner end pivotally connected with said yoke at its outer end,

a lead screw journalled in said power strut,

a travelling nut on said lead screw connected to effect extension and retraction of said power strut in accordance with direction of rotation of said screw,

a motor connected to drive said lead screw in opposite directions,

said yoke comprising spaced bars having claws at the ends of the same embracing the outer ends of said positioning struts and blocks slidingly mounted in said claws and pivotally connected with said positioning struts.

4. A powered bottom brace for leads frame comprising the combination of a longitudinally extensible positioning strut pivotally supported at the inner end and provided with means for connecting it with a leads frame at its outer end,

a longitudinally extensible power strut parallel with said positioning strut,

said power strut including a base plate mounted at the inner end of said positioning strut,

a reversible motor on said base plate,

a stationary guide tube extending from said base plate forward of said positioning strut,

an extension tube telescopically engaged in said guide tube and connected at its forward end wi h ai extensible positioning strut,

a nut member on the inner end of said extension tube,

slidingly engaged in said guide tube,

a leads screw within said extension tube and in engagement with said nut member, and

drive connections on said base plate from said reversible motor to the inner end of said leads screw, including self-aligning adjustable means and there being two positioning struts rigidly secured in a frame, at opposite sides of said power strut and said extension tube being engaged with said extensible positioning struts at opposite sides of the same by adjustable self-aligning connections, including a yoke pivotally connected with said extension tube and holding said extension tube against rotation from the leads screw.

5. Bottom brace for leads frames, comprising the combination of parallel, longitudinally extensible positioning struts pivotally supported at their inner ends and provided with means for connecting them with a leads frame at their outer ends,

a yoke connecting the outer 'ends of said positioning struts,

a longitudinally extensible power strut between and parallel with said positioning struts, pivotally supported at its inner end and pivotally connected with said yoke at its outer end,

a lead screw journalled in said power strut,

a travelling nut on said lead screw connected to eifect extension and retraction of said power strut in accordance with direction of rotation of said screw,

a motor connected to drive said lead screw in opposite directions,

with a self-adjusting connection between said power strut and yoke and self-adjusting connections from said yoke to said positioning struts,

said yoke made up of spaced parallel bars and said connection from the power strut being a member on the power strut projecting between said bars, a pin extending through said member and sleeves on the ends of said pin slidably and rotatably engaged in said bars.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 25,659 10/ 1964 Chapman et al 74424.8 1,557,635 10/ 1925 Ware 17343 2,080,951 5/ 1937 Pfeifi'er 17343 2,711,078 6/1955 Guild 173-43 2,998,856 9/1961 Larsen et a1. 173-43 3,038,352 6/ 1962 Murphy 74424.8 3,150,723 9/1964 Hale 173147 3,229,545 1/ 1966 Hautau 74424.8

FRED C. MATTERN, JR., Primary Examiner.

L- P- KESSLER, Assi ant Examiner. 

1. BOTTOM BRACE FOR LEADS FRAMES, COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF PARALLEL, LONGITUDINALLY EXTENSIBLE POSITIONING STRUTS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED AT THEIR INNER ENDS AND PROVIDED WITH MEANS FOR CONNECTING THEM WITH A LEADS FRAME AT THEIR OUTER ENDS, A YOKE CONNECTING THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID POSITIONING STRUTS, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENSIBLE POWER STRUT BETWEEN AND PARALLEL WITH SAID POSITIONING STRUTS, PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED AT ITS INNER END AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID YOKE AT ITS OUTER END, A LEAD SCREW JOURNALLED IN SAID POWER STRUT, 